Over Protective
by untapdtreasure
Summary: sort of AU grissom and sara's daughter gets kidnapped
1. Chapter 1

Over Protective

By SidleChick and Sassy

Chapter 1

Sara dropped them off at school. Annie was still worried. She was twirling her hair and biting her lip. "Sammie, what if he doesn't leave me alone."

"Don't worry Annie, everything will be ok, I won't let him hurt you... and just remember, we can't tell my parents, they will get all weird on me. " Sam took Annie's hand, and they walked into the school. The day passed in a blur. They were finishing up at their lockers. Annie had hardly thought about the man that had been following her. She closed her locker and waited for Samantha to get finished. "Got everything?"

"Yep. " She grabbed Annie's hand a began swinging it around.

"So, you wanna come over today? " Sam asked.

"I already told my Mom that I was going to your house. She doesn't get off until eight and I don't want to be alone. Who is picking us up today?" Annie asked as she hitched her backpack up on her shoulder and started toward the double doors at the end of the hall.

"My Daddy is. " She smiled widely. She loved her mother, but was a Daddy's girl at heart.

"Your dad is so cool." Annie said as they spotted the Tahoe at the end of the sidewalk.

Grissom tooted the horn a few times and waved.

She smiled. " Yes he is, I just wish my parents weren't so over protective. "

Annie tried to smile. She wished her parents felt that way about her. But her mom worked the afternoon shift at the casino so that she didn't have to be around her. And her dad, well, who knew where he was. Probably somewhere with a girl half his age.

They got in the Tahoe. "How was school today, my two lovely ladies?" Grissom asked as he kissed Sam on the cheek.

"Well, as fun as school ever will be. " She smiled, " What do you think Annie, you have fun? " She asked sarcastically, and laughed.

"Yeah, right." She rolled her eyes. "I did ace my physics test today though."

"That's great, Annie. I'm sure you parents will be proud." He turned to look at Sam. "How did you do on your Physics test today?"

"I haven't looked, I don't believe in scores and crap, I just believe in learning it and moving onward. "

"Sam, you'd better start believing in scores and crap, as you put it, or you will be grounded the rest of this year. You know the rules." Grissom said sternly as he shifted into gear and pulled out onto the road. He and Sara would have to have another talk with Sam when Annie went home.

" It's not that I don't care, it's just, I'm happy with whatever I got, cause it's not like I'm ever gonna use it. " She pulled the test out of her backpack. " I got an A minus, okay... " She sighed.

"Oh, Sam. Why must you insist on playing this games with me?" Grissom said a little irritated. He'd had a bad day at work. A missing child had been found raped and murdered. Sometimes his job was too much. Even for him.

" I'm not the one who starts the games Daddy, I just get tired of... never mind, forget I said anything. " she turned on the radio.

He just sighed and let the loud rock music fill the vehicle. They'd talk later when they didn't have an audience. "So, Annie, you coming home with us today?" Grissom half yelled over the noise.

Annie sat in the back lost in her own thoughts and hadn't heard a word that had been said since the whole test thing.

Sammie turned. She was worried about Annie, but she wasn't going to get to much in front of her dad. "Yo Annie, can you hear me? " She teased.

"What?" Annie asked perplexed.

Sam laughed a bit, and turned the music down a little. " My Father would like to know if you're coming home with us. " she smiled at Annie.

"If you don't mind, Dr. G." Annie said sweetly. "We don't mind." Grissom said as he turned the music back up for the teenagers.

Sam just smiled, and leaned on Grissom for a second, then she unbuckled her seatbelt, even though they weren't home.

"Samantha Jane Grissom, you get your ass back in that seat and belted in now. I mean now!" Grissom yelled as he slammed on the breaks.

Sam's eye's grew wide. " What! I'm just going to the backseat. "

"You should've gotten there before we left the school. Sit down, Sam." His face one of sadness and of anger.

She just sighed, looked at Annie apologetically, and got back in the front seat, and then buckled up.

Grissom gripped the steering wheel so hard his knuckles were white. "Why must you do this to me every time, Samantha. You know how your mother and I feel about playing around in the car." Kimberly Alexis Grissom had died one night three years ago because her and her group of friends were playing while going down the road. A car was not a place to play

" God Daddy, you guys are gonna have to let me grow up sometime. You know, I've never been to someone else's house for a sleep over, they all come over to our house, and it's just cause your afraid something is gonna happen to me. "

They'd pulled into the driveway now. Grissom's reply was to get out and slam his door. "Go wash up, girls. I'm sure Sara is just about finished with supper." He walked in ahead of them.

"Never dull moment with the Grissom clan." Annie stated sarcastically. Sam laughed, " I'm sorry about that, you know, sometimes, I've been tempted just to leave and never come back. But then I think about how much I love them, but one of these days, I'm just gonna get tired of it, you know. " Sam's eyes filled a bit.

Annie hugged her. "Girl, I'm here for you whenever. You know that, right?"

Sam just sniffled a bit and nodded her head. " Thanks Annie, you know... besides you and Einstein, there is no one else who listens to me. "

Meanwhile in the kitchen... Sara looked over at Grissom, she could tell he was upset. " So, how did today go? "

He just wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tight. Tears streaming down his face. He buried his head into her shoulder and sobbed.

" Honey, what is it? What happened? " Sara held onto him tightly.

"You remember that Wilson kid that went missing a few weeks ago? Well, he was found today. Raped and murdered. I worked the scene with Warrick. It was awful. AND to top that off I had a fight with your daughter on the way home. She never learns." He said drying his tears and getting angry again. He pounded the counter with his fist to help emphasize his point.

" What did MY Daughter do now. " Sara just sighed, she knew how Sam could be.

"She was going to climb in the back with Annie while I was driving. I've told her more than once that it wasn't going to happen in the car." Grissom said as he sat down on the table and put his head in his hands.

" She did WHAT?" Sara just sighed again. " We'll talk to her when Annie goes home tonight... where (sp) are they by the way? " she said looking around.

"Washing. At least that is what I told them to be doing." Grissom said as he reached for her and pulled her onto his lap. "How is my baby doing today?" He said as he kissed her lips softly. "I missed you."

She smiled. " I'm much better now. I missed you too. " She said as she kissed his lips. At the time she pressed her lips to him, Sam and Annie came in, and Sam ushered her right back out the front door. Sara just giggled a bit.

"Okay, peeping tomisinas(confused is it supposed to be just toms?) we're done. You can come back now." He helped Sara to her feet and kissed her cheek softly.

" That was a wonderfully gross surprise thank you very much. " Sam said sarcastically as the girls went to go upstairs to her room, she stopped at the stairs, went over and hugged Sara, then started for the stairs again.

"Sam, Annie, dinner in five." Grissom said as he smiled at Sam. "Samantha, I'm sorry. "

"It's ok Daddy, I'm sorry too. " She and Annie started up the stairs again Grissom took Sara's hand in his and squeezed. "Sara, I think we need to talk."

" About what hon? " she said, looking in the oven to see how supper was cooking.

"About Sam. Later. In bed." He said as he kissed her hand.

" Okay sweetie, whatever you want. " She smiled.

FIVE MINUTES LATER...

" Girls... Supper.. " Sara yelled up the stairs.

"Coming, Mrs. G." Annie called out. "We're just finishing up." Samantha smiled. They could be heard running all the way from downstairs as they came down the steps, Sam stopped right in the middle and said, " Bet you Five bucks, I can make the jump. " She said smiling and looking at Annie.

Grissom just rolled his eyes. They did this every time Annie was there. "Just be careful."

Samantha laughed, and jumped, landing on her feet then falling on her bum, laughing very hard. Annie stood on the steps still

"Girl, when are you going to stop falling for that. I NEVER jump." Annie laughed and high-fived Grissom. "She'll never learn, Dr. G."

She laughed. " I know... I'm so graceful, I'll get it someday. " she laughed, and poked Annie, still looking forward innocently. Sara just smiled.

"What's for dinner? It smells wonderful." Annie said as she sniffed the air.

" Food? " Samantha said.

Sara laughed. " Smart booger isn't she? " She smiled. " We are having spaghetti with home made garlic bread.

She brought the food over to the table, and the girls poured drinks.

Grissom just sat back and watched them busy themselves. If Kimmy were here, would we all be here at this table eating? Or would we still be going in four different directions? His thoughts were wondering. Thinking about Kimmy always made him this way.

As they all sat down, Sam mouthed ' watch this ' to Annie. "So Daddy, guess what, a boy asked me out today."

"Really? And how old might this boy be?" Grissom asked as he winked at Sara.

"Oh, he's eighteen years old. He wants me to go to prom with him." She said with a serious face.

"We'll discuss this later, Sam." Grissom said as he spooned spaghetti into his plate.

Sam giggled a bit, then made a funny face at Annie, causing both of them to giggle madly.

"Samantha, you haven't been in my liquor cabinet have you?" Grissom asked as he watched the two teenagers laugh wildly.

"Yep, I downed it all Daddy." She laughed, then made another face at Annie, then she looked over at the clock. It read 4:45.

"Sam, what is so important that you keep looking at that clock?"

"Nothing." She just smiled. She told Annie earlier that day, that she would have a friend call and she would tell her Dad it was that boy, even though it wasn't. She giggled.

"Homework, you two. Right after dinner." Grissom reminded them.

"So, how's school been going for you Annie?" Sara asked.

"I love school. Classes are a breeze. I got this one teacher. He lets me help him out in the lab. So cool." Annie said and her eyes lit up at the talk of school.

Sam just smiled and shook her head. The phone rang, and she winked at Annie. "That's him." She got up and answered the phone.

"Hello?... Hi Jason." It was really Lindsey Willows.

"Jason?" Grissom and Sara questioned at the same time.

"Oh, just a boy from school." Annie replied quickly.

Sam held her hand on the phone for a moment. "Jason is the eighteen year old boy who really likes me." She turned away, this was to easy. "Yeah... I'd love to..."

"Eighteen years old?" She whispered to Grissom.

"Annie, is there anyway that after supper I could run you home. We need to have a talk with Sam." Grissom asked Annie.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

She really didn't want to go home. "Maybe you can drop me at the library."

Sam stopped her phone conversation, she then said good bye to Lindsey, and walked over. "Maybe Annie could spend the night?" She knew Annie would be afraid.

Sara looked over at her. " Not tonight, sweetie. Sorry."

"Samantha, we need to talk to you. And you know that you'd get off easy with an audience, but we're not falling for it. Annie, I'd be happy to drive you to the library. What time does your mom get off tonight? Would she be picking you up?" Grissom asked turning to Annie.

"She gets off at 8. Yeah she'd pick me up. Thank you." She began eating again.

"Fine. I can walk you home, it's not that far, and it's not that late..."

"So, are you going to the library or home?" Teenagers always confused him.

"Where do you want to go Annie? And I'll walk you there."

"I think I'll just go home." Annie said as she got up from the table.

"Sam, straight there and straight back. Understand?" Grissom asked.

Sam got up and grabbed her jacket and Annie's. "Sure." She opened the door for Annie, and they left. Once outside, Sam squealed. " I am so happy to be out of there."

Sara looked at the door. " Are you sure we shouldn't follow with the car?"

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about, Sara. I think we're pushing our daughter away from us. She wasn't talking to a boy earlier." He was looking at the caller I.D. box. "She was talking to Lindsey.

"She wasn't talking to a boy, why would she say she was, and why would we be pushing her away? If we don't watch her, the same thing could happen to her that happened to Kimmy."

"We are punishing her for Kimmy. I was talking to Doc today. He said that if we weren't careful we'd push her away. She'd run away as soon as she got a chance. I couldn't live with myself if that happened."

"Hon, she wouldn't run away...would she? No, no she wouldn't, she's to good of a girl to do that. " Sara started clearing the table.

"She wouldn't run." He shook his head as if to shake away that thought. "Sara, I say we sit her down and have a talk with her. And this time actually maybe listen to her."

"We DO listen to her, sweetie. We just don't agree with everything she says, but if it will make you feel better, we can talk to her." She looked at the clock, it was 5:13.

"Don't panic, Sara. It will fine." Grissom said as he got up to pace the room slowly.

Sara sat down on the couch, when she looked at the clock it was 5:21 "Where is she?" Sara got up to look out the window.

"Sara, if I know our daughter, she's probable over talking just a bit. She'll be okay." Grissom insides weren't so sure. Everything had to be okay. It just had to.

"What if something happened though, God, what if she got hurt? " Sara turned to look at Grissom.

He held her to him. "Shh, baby. She'll be walking through that door before you know it." Just then the door opened.

Sam came through, and hung her jacket up. She then looked over at her parents and smiled. "Get a room you two." She teased.

"Samantha Jane, where have you been?" Sara asked.

When Sara looked away, Sam forgot about her dad being right there and mumbled, "What did I do wrong now…?"

"Nothing. You just scared us, Sammie Jane. Go do your homework. We need to talk later." Grissom said as he ruffled her hair.

She smiled. " Dad, these curls can get crazy enough at times, they don't need your help. " She giggled.

"Get." He said as he pointed her toward the stairs and swatted her rump.

She squealed and ran up the stairs, tripping a bit, but not letting that slow her down.

Sara watched her. "I am a bad mother." She said as she put dishes in the dishwasher.

"You could never be a bad mother, Sara. How about you and me go to our room and get our freak on as the teenagers say nowadays?" Grissom teased as he swatted her butt as she bent to load the dishwasher.

She laughed. "Get our freak on? Maybe we should lie down." She teased, turned the dishwater on, and turned to him. "Lead the way."

He grabbed her hand and pushed the dishwasher closed with his foot. They made love and emerged from the bedroom all aglow.

Sam was sitting at the table, Einstein sitting by her. She was doing her homework, without looking at them, she asked, "Feel better?" She laughed and the dog barked.

Sara turned a deep red.

"There is nothing wrong with a husband and wife having sex in the middle of the evening. And yes, WE do feel better. Thanks for asking." He wrapped his arms around Sara tightly.

"EW, do I look like I want to have this conversation with you?" She grabbed her books and moved to the couch.

Sara looked at him and smiled. "Gil Grissom, I can't believe you said that." Sara laughed when she heard Sam yell, "Neither can I! Eww! Bad dreams tonight."

"You'll think differently when you're married." Grissom shot back.

Sam drastically covered her ears. " OWW, it hurts, make it go away, ewwww." She started rolling on the floor, and Einstein was barking at her.

Sara just smiled, and got a couple of water bottles, and handed one to Grissom. Grissom caught Sara's 'your pushing it' look and smiled sweetly at her. "I love you, Sara Jane Grissom."

"I love you to." Sara smiled, and kissed him quickly on the lips.

This caused Sam to stop rolling, and play dead. The dog stopped barking and laid on top of her. "Einstein, you big cow, get off me." Sam said as she laughed.

"Hey, Einey? Ready for our run, ole buddy?" Grissom asked as he grabbed his leash. Einstein ran off of her and was jumping at Grissom. The dog looked like he was on weed.

"Sam, what do you feed him?" Sara asked as she watched the dog jump.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Any one want to join me and the mutt here?" Grissom asked as he laced up his running shoes. "But mind you, we wait for no one!"

Sam got up, and ran for her shoes, "I will, how bout you, Mom?"

Sara just smiled. " Nah, I've got plenty of things I can get done."

"Okay." Sam laced up her Nikes and went to grab her jacket, but then decided not to. It was nice out.

"I already gave your mom one workout tonight. Got to let her recover." Grissom said.

"Ok, do you want me live in a nightmare? I'm your daughter, not your shrink. I don't want to hear that." Sam walked out the door, and started trotting down the driveway.

"I'll behave." He said as Sara gave him another warning glance. He kissed her mouth.

"You had better. Our daughter is going to freak if you don't." She teased. "Have fun."

Sam was already a little ways down the street when Grissom finally came out.

"Okay, Einey, we got some catching up to do." He tugged the leash. He caught up with her in no time. "Come on, young one. Going to let the two old men beat you?" Grissom teased her.

"Bring it, old man." She ran as fast as she could. She laughed.

They ran about five miles total. Just enjoying each others company. "We should do this more often, Sammie Jane." Grissom said as they neared home.

"Yeah." She smiled, she then noticed one of there neighbors was out across the street. "Daddy, can I go say hi?"

"Yeah. I'll see you inside, Sam. Be quick. You still have homework." Grissom said as he walked the sidewalk to the door. "Take the dog, Sam." He let go of his leash and the dog bolted after her.

"Yes Daddy." She took his leash and walked over to the neighbors. A cat ran out, and Einstein tore away from Sam, and started running down the street away from her house. "EINSTEIN! " She, without thinking, ran after the dog.

Grissom was already in the house by then. She ran through the trees, and finally found him, barking up at the cat. "Einstein, I'm going to be in such trouble, thanks buddy." She grabbed his leash. They started walking home. She had a couple of small scratches on her face.

Sara walked over to the window. " I thought you said she was at the neighbors? She's not there, Gil." Sara looked back out the window.

Sam tightened her grip as she continued walking up the street, she had dirt all over her, and had a bit of a limp. She tripped a bit.

"Sara, I'm sure she'll be in in a minute." Grissom reassured her. He was taking his shoes off.

"Oh my God." Sara said as she saw Sam walk up the drive way. She bolted for the door.

Grissom ran after her barefoot. She opened the door, and went running out. "Oh my God, honey, what happened?" She looked at her face and watched her limp a bit.

"Einstein, here decided he was going to chase the cat that lives across the street." She said, as the dog licked her hand.

"My god, Sara. I thought she was bleeding the way you were carrying on." Grissom said as he hugged them both tight.

Sara just squeezed her daughter. "God Ma, you want me to die by asphyxiation?" She teased.

Sara laughed. "No, see Gil, she is bleeding." She pointed to Sam's cheek. Sam lifted her arm, wiped it off and then smiled, and limped inside, "All better."

"BUT Sara, she is okay." Grissom countered.

Sara just sighed. "I guess so... homework, then bed, got it?"

Sam just nodded, and got her stuff. " I got most of it down already." She grabbed a water bottle. "I'm going to go to bed, love you guys."

"Love you too, Sam." Grissom said as he kissed her head.

Sam went slower on the steps, but was still going. Einstein almost knocked her over racing her for the bedroom. If the railing hadn't been there, she'd be in a little more pain. "Geeze, I think the dog is out to get me." She regained her balance.

Next Day

Sam made her way downstairs. Today was picture day at school, so she wore her favorite Khaki hip hugger bells, and a black halter top. She left her curls down today. She saw her Dad sitting at the table, so she went over and wrapped her arms around his neck from behind. "Morning Daddy."

"Morning, Sammie Jane. Sleep good?" Grissom asked as he put down his paper.

"I guess. The stupid cat sat in the tree by my window all night, and wouldn't shut up, so I threw my slipper at him." She laughed, and walked into the kitchen to pour some juice. She heard the shower was going, so that answered to her question to where mom was. "Hey Daddy?" She said in her sweetest little ' I want something voice.'

"How much?" Grissom asked reaching for his wallet.

She just laughed. "Not money today. I wanted to ask you something. Today, is the big Cubby game, remember? I was wondering if you could drop me off at school today, so when I get home, you can have the game on and ready. Is that ok?" She was a die hard Cubs fan, just like her father.

"You know the way to my heart. Yeah. Let me talk to your mom first okay. I have to clear it with her." Grissom said as he sipped his coffee.

She smiled, and hugged him. She then, sat on his lap. "Since we are on the subject, if you want to give me some money today, I wouldn't mind. You know I'd take it if you wanted me to." She giggled.

"You can wait until Friday." Allowance day. "You had better eat up. I'm leaving in ten minutes. "

"Nah, I'm just going to stick with juice today. I'm not really that hungry...um Daddy... never mind." She got up and walked into the living room and sat down, she was almost contemplating telling her dad about Annie's stalker, but couldn't do it.

"Sara?" Grissom yelled up the stairs.

"Yeah honey?" She yelled. She came down the steps still drying her hair. "Yeah, hon?"

"Your daughter needs to ask you something." Grissom said as he winked at Sam.

She smiled. "Uh oh, what do you want?" She asked with a smile.

"Can Daddy drop me off today... please? " She put on her best puppy dog face, and that was it."

"Of course."

She smiled. "Thank you."

"You are a pushover, Sara." Grissom said as he kissed her cheek. "I'm about ready, Sam." He headed up the stairs.

"Okay, Daddy." She walked over to the door, and slipped on her Sandal Clogs. She walked over, kissed her mom, and then went to wait in the car. She hopped in, and started the Tahoe up, and turned the music up.

Grissom slid down the banister and landed at Sara's feet.

"You're no better then your daughter." She teased.

"But you love me." Grissom said as he put his arms around her and danced her around the foyer.

She just laughed. "What has gotten into you I... oh... there's a Cubs game on today, isn't there?" She smiled, and shook her head.

"Yeah. AND me and my daughter are watching it together. First one of the year." Grissom said as he kissed her long and soft. She kissed him back, and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You're going be late for school." She laughed.

"I don't go to school, Sara. And Sam could care less if she was a little late. So you want to head back upstairs and have a quickie?" Grissom teased.

"Gil Grissom, get!" She laughed, and swatted his rump with a wet towel.

"Yes, mother." He said as he kissed her once more and made his way outside.

Sam was sitting in the driver seat with her sunglasses on, acting as is she was driving, and pretending to push on the gas. She didn't though, since she had turned the car on.

"Want to drive?" Grissom asked her.

"Mom asked me that before...and that should answer you question about why there are little nail holes on the side of the seat, but yeah." she smiled.

"Seat belt. Check mirrors. Be careful." Grissom said as he turned the radio off.

Sam just smiled, rolled down her window, buckled up, then checked mirrors, and wasted no time at leaving.

"You must go the speed limit or I'll drive."

She put a little pout face on. Then slowed down, a tiny bit. Her curls were flying all around her face. She waited until he looked out his window, before she turned the radio on, not as loud as before, but it was still heard.

"Sam, don't forget to signal." he reminded her gently. Trying to calm down his nerves. She wasn't a bad driver. Just needed experience.

She turned on her signal, and turned tightly. She pulled up between two cars at the school entrance.

"Very good. I'll see you at home. I'll have everything ready. Have a good day." He said as he kissed her cheek and climbed into the Tahoe.

She didn't know why, but she had tears in her eyes, and thanked God she had her sunglasses on. "I love you Daddy." Something just seemed a little off today.

"I love you too, Sam." He said quietly.

Sam, tried no to have to much of a shaky voice. "See you at home Daddy." Why was she like this today?

"Later Gator." Grissom said as he shifted into gear.

"After while Crocodile." She smiled, and thanked God again that she had her sun glasses on, because her eyes were filled.

"Hey, Samantha." Annie called from the sidewalk.

"Hey, Annie. How's life?" She called back, walking towards her.

"Same as yesterday." Annie said as she bent to tie a shoe.

Sam bent down as well, to whisper in Annie's ear. "Have you seen him lately?"

"Not today. I rode with Hayden next door." Annie said blushing.

"Cool. I'm glad, maybe he left." She said as they walked up the path to the doors.

Hayden was waiting just inside the doors. "Hey, Annie. I think you got my book bag instead." He handed her bag to her.

"Sorry, Hayden." Annie said.

"Need a life home?" He asked.

"Yeah, if you don't mind." Annie said coolly.

"I'm going to put my stuff in my locker." Sam walked off smiling.

"See you after school." Hayden said as he walked away.

Annie went in search of Samantha. Sam came up to her. " Annie and Hayden, sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g!" She teased.

"Can it, Samantha Jane! I don't tease you about Jason." Annie said and blushed.

She stuck her tongue out, and smiled, as they walked to their first class, before they went in. She and Annie had some classes together but not many.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

They walked into the class room, before they took their seats, Sam whispered to Annie. "I forgot to tell you, the only reason, I've been nice to Jason, is cause I want to make Seth jealous. He's the one I really like." Sam winked at her.

"I know, Sam. He's all you talk about. Hayden doesn't even know I exist." Annie said as she reached for her Chemistry book.

"Sure he does, he's just playing hard to get. Take my advice, make the first move. I bet he likes you too, but he is just afraid to say something." Sam replied pulling out her book.

The teacher cleared her throat. "Time to begin, girls." Sam just stifled a laugh, and opened her book. " Yes Sir. "

"Yes, ma'am." Annie corrected. She looked at Sam and rolled her eyes dramatically. Sam just giggled.

The morning seemed to drag on an on but finally it was lunch. Annie was waiting at her locker for Samantha.

"Hey you, you waiting for me?" Sam came up behind her.

"Yeah. I was daydreaming." Annie said with a dreamy look on her face.

"Of Hayden?" Samantha poked Annie in the arm.

"No, your dad." Annie said grinning widely.

"EW, you're nasty." Sam laughed.

"Of course about Hayden. I'm gone over that boy, Sammie." Annie hugged herself. "Completely gone."

Sam just smiled. "Then do something about it, before Miss Prissy Pants Emma does." She said as they walked by the preppy girls locker.

Annie's face fell. Emma was beautiful with long blonde hair, stunning green eyes, and a figure to die for. "I'd rather give up now."

Sam stopped her. "Hey, Hayden would be lucky to have you, you're better then prissy Emma any day." They continued walking.

Annie just shrugged. "Sam, you going to hang out after school for the dance committee meeting?"

"Well, I want to, but... the first Cubs game of the year is on, and I can't miss that. But, I'll be there next time You know me and music."

"Okay, I think I'll head home too. Not really in the mood to deal with Stacey and Brea." Annie said as she rolled her eyes. They were the two girls who were in control of the dance committee.

"Yeah, there's only so much I can handle of them. I'll be right there, just got to get a drink." Sam went over to the water fountain.

Hayden was walking down the hall then. He stopped to talk to Emma. She was smiling and laughing. He kissed her cheek lightly. Annie's heart broke and she ran from the building to the steps outside to cry.

Sam ran after her. "Annie!" She ran for the doors.

Annie was staring straight ahead tears pouring down her face. "I hate him, Sam."

"No you don't, you hate her! " She stepped in front of her. " We can get him, will you trust me to help you? " She hugged Annie.

"I won't play games, Sam. You know me better than that. I won't chase him either. We shouldn't have to chase boys." Annie said as she dried the tears from her face.

"We shouldn't on most occasions, but, when you really like the guy, is he worth fighting for? And if he doesn't take notice to you, it's his loss, and he'll be sorry. " She said, as she pulled a tissue from her bag and handed it to Annie.

Annie took the tissue. "I'm not chasing him. I won't do that to my heart. I don't know if he is worth fighting for. What man is?"

"I don't know... you'll find someone even better then him, and after meeting him, at the mention of Hayden's name, you'll say who? Don't worry, hon, I'm here for you. " She smiled reassuringly.

"Lets' go eat, Sammie. Maybe you can still catch Seth." Annie said standing up and heading back up the steps.

"I don't know." She just shrugged. They walked into the school. Hayden was at Annie's locker. Annie thought about turning and running. "What does he want? To gloat about Emma?" she grumbled.

"Maybe he wants to talk to you, and don't you say anything mean, not until he says something stupid, got it? " They walked over to the lockers, and Sam went and sat on the bench where she could hear and see everything, but still giving them some privacy.

"Hey, Hayden." Annie said as she walked up to him.

"Hey Annie." Hayden smiled at her. "I saw you guys run out of here pretty fast, are you okay?"

"Yeah. Saw something that made me sick is all." Annie said almost truthfully.

"I'm sorry, are you okay now? " Hayden asked her, still looking at her.

"I'll be okay. What do you need?" Annie asked as she opened her locker.

"I just wanted to say hi, and wondered if you wanted to hang or something. We could go and eat lunch? " Hayden smiled his trademark smile.

"Emma turn you down?" Annie said bitterly.

"What?" Hayden asked confused. Samantha pretended to cough and Annie looked over, Sam mouthed be nice, then looked away.

"I said 'Emma turn you down?'" This time it was more softly.

"Annie, what are you talking about? I never asked Emma to go to lunch with me. Why would you ask that?" Hayden still hadn't moved from his resting point on the locker.

"Can it, Hayden. I saw you kiss her." Annie said as her voice cracked a bit.

"First of all, she was trying to make her boyfriend jealous and asked me to kiss her on the cheek, cause he was looking second of all... it's not Emma I like."

"So, you always kiss girls who ask just to make their boyfriends jealous?" Annie asked startled by his confession. She wasn't going to get her hopes up about the girl he liked.

" No, but when the girl I like is close, I kind of want to make her jealous to see if she likes me too." He smiled slightly.

"Does it work for you?" Annie asked hopeful.

Hayden answered my kissing Annie lightly on the cheek. "Yes it does." Annie blushed.

"Hayden, you never have to make me jealous."

"That's good. So...you want to grab some lunch?" He smiled widely at her.

"Only if Sam is invited too." Annie said and pointed at their little eavesdropper.

Sam's eyes widened. " No, that's ok guys, I'm good. " Sam smiled.

Hayden replied, "Nonsense. I get to share lunch with two lovely ladies." Hayden took Annie's hand. "Let's go before all the mystery meat is gone."

Sam just smiled, and walked up next to Annie. "Thank you Hayden very much."

The rest of the day went by in a blur. Classes and a mandatory assembly on why the couldn't wear closes that showed body parts that weren't mean to be seen. Neither Annie or Sam dressed that way so they just sat there bored to death.

"Hey, want to play I spy?" She asked Annie.

"Last time, we got detention." Annie reminded her.

"That's right...Darn. So, what do we do then? " An evil grin played on Sam's face." You want to sneak out?"

"And experience the wrath of Ecklie. I don't think so." Annie wondered how the two were friends. She was the sane one and Sam was always ready for anything.

Sam laughed. "How weird is that, Ecklie is the principle here, and his brother works were my parents do." Sam laughed. "From what I've heard, Conrad is just as much of a scum bag."

"Sammie, Principal Ecklie isn't that bad. We just have to stay on his good side."

"You mean keep kissing up. " She teased. "God, when does this thing end?" Sam asked annoyed.

"Little bit longer. Then I get to go to study hall. Hayden's there." Annie said with a smile.

"Make sure that's all you do, is study." She teased.

"I'm always good at school. It's after school, Hayden needs to worry about." Annie said slowly.

Sam's eye went wide, and she looked over at Annie and grinned. " Ohhh, Annie and Hayden sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g-!" She whispered

"Sammie, you are too much today. What is up with you?" Annie asked as she playfully slapped Sam's thigh.

"I don't know, I've been weepy all day, so I guess I'm trying to make silly jokes." She smiled.

"Girl, everything is going to be okay." Annie reassured her.

"I don't know, for some reason, I don't feel like it will. I just want to go home." She said as her eyes filled a bit, but she quickly shut them, and made them go away. She then raised her hand.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Yes, Samantha?" The teacher asked.

"Can I make a phone call real quick... please?"

The teacher thought about it, then nodded. "Make it quick."

She said thanks and went to make a call. She walked into the office and dialed the phone.

"Hello?" Sara asked.

"Hey Mom, let me talk to Daddy real quick ok?" She asked.

"Okay. Gil, it's Sam." She handed him the phone.

"What's the matter, Sammie Jane?" He asked worried.

"Daddy...I...just, something feels wrong. Can I come home early?" She knew he would say no, but had to try.

"Samantha, your mom and I are working and if you aren't sick, you need to stay. We're in the middle of a case. Are you sick?" Grissom asked.

"No, but Daddy, something isn't right..." She stifled a sob.

"Samantha, you need to go back to class. I'll have everything ready for you when you get home, I promise, Kitten." Grissom hadn't used her pet name since she had turned thirteen.

"Okay... Daddy, I love you." She started crying softly on the phone, hoping he couldn't hear her.

"I love you too. See you soon." Grissom hung up.

She hung up the phone, wiped away her tears, and headed back to class.

Annie met her in the hall. "Ms. Johnson sent me to check on you. Sammie is everything okay?"

Sam just wiped her eyes. " Yeah... you know... I just have this weird feeling in my gut." She stifled another cry.

"Come on, Sam. I'll tell her you got female problems. We'll hang out in the bathroom." Annie said as she hugged her friend close.

"Thanks. " She hugged her back tight.

The rest of the day went pretty much the same. Boring classes and such. Annie couldn't wait until that afternoon, but felt bad when she thought about how Sam was feeling today. They'd promised to meet up after last period and wait for Sara to pick up Sam together

Sam walked up to her locker to get her things. Annie was there waiting. She was gathering her books. She didn't hear Sam walk up.

"Hey you. " She walked up behind her. "How was your class?"

Annie jumped slightly. "Don't do that, Sam. You know how I hate it." She said putting her hand on her chest trying to slow down her heart.

"Sorry, I forgot. So, you ready? " She closed her locker, as she put her back pack on one shoulder.

"Yeah. I think so." Annie replied picking her bag up from the floor. "I wish that today was Friday."

"Me too, then you could sleep over. " Sam smiled, as they walked outside. Sara wasn't there yet. " Wow, that's a first. " Sam laughed a bit.

"Maybe she got held up." Annie said.

Sam walked over to the corner to see if she could see her Mom, she kept looking, when she heard Annie scream. Sam turned and saw a man had hold of Annie, and wouldn't let her go. She dropped her back pack, and ran up to Annie, and started kicking the guy and screaming " LET HER GO!" Another man slipped from the van and picked up Sam. Both girls were tossed inside in a matter of minutes.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Little did the kidnappers know, that Lindsey Willows was waiting for her grandmother and had seen the whole thing.

Sam had no idea what was happening, but she grabbed Annie, and held her close.

"Who are you?" Sam asked, frowning, trying not to cry, to be strong for Annie. And they sped away.

Sara pulled up to the school, and waited for about ten minutes, before she got out and went inside. Sara saw Lindsey sitting there, crying, so she went up to her. " Honey, what's wrong?"

"Aunt Sara, two men took her. They took Sam." Lindsey cried harder.

Sara's eye went wide, and filled. "What... what did you just say?"

"SHE'S gone." Lindsey saw her grandma and ran to her arms.

Sara immediately crumpled to the floor and started sobbing. " NO, not ... my... baby "

The principal had called the station. Brass was now on the scene. Sara's cell phone had been ringing none stop for twenty minutes now. She didn't care. Brass took her phone and answered it.

"Hello?" Brass replied.

"Who is this?" Grissom asked scared.

"Gil, it's Brass." He didn't want to tell him the news. Sara was still sobbing out of control.

" MY Baby! "

"What's wrong, Jim?" Grissom knew something was bad wrong for him to be answering Sara's phone. He heard Sara screaming. "Where is Samantha?" He was starting to panic.

"Oh My God, I want her here with ME! " Sara couldn't stop screaming.

"She's been taken, Gil. I've got a uniform on his way there. You have to stay in case they call." Brass told Grissom. "You have to stay calm, Gil. Listen to me. God Gil, I'm so sorry."

"Bring Sara, home to me. Please bring her home to me." Grissom pleaded. He had already lost Kimberly, now Samantha. He needed Sara home with him.

"Anything Gil, I'll have her there soon, ok? " Brass wanted to help in anyway he could. Grissom hung up the phone. Nothing more that Brass could tell him would change anything. Samantha had begged to come home. She had known something was wrong and he'd told her no. Why did I just go and get her?

Within about twenty minutes, Brass pulled up, walked around to the passenger door, and helped Sara out. Grissom heard a car pull up. He rushed to the door. Brass was leading Sara up the walkway. He rushed to her and held her tight.

Sara quickly wrapped her arms around him, and sobbed some more. "They took our Baby."

"We'll get her back, Sara. I promise, we'll find her. It will be okay." Grissom soothed her as best as he could. He helped her inside to the couch. "Do you need anything, Sweetheart?"

She didn't answer, she just starred into space. "Sara, sweetheart, talk to me. What happened?" Grissom needed her to talk to him. He needed to know what she knew.

The investigator in him wouldn't let it be any other way.

Finally, Sara looked at him. Her once lively face, was pale, and her bright eyes, we're empty. " I don't know... I wasn't there. I got caught in traffic, and was late. " She whispered.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"I was told there was a witness. Where is she?" Grissom asked.

" It was Lindsey. " She said, as she looked back into space.

"Where is she? We have to talk to her." Grissom was standing now. He looked at Brass who was feeling completely helpless. He'd been on this side of the before. When Kimmy died, it had been Brass that had told them. "We have to find her, Jim. We have to."

"I know Gil, we're going to, we won't let them keep her, we'll get her back. Lindsey went over to Catherine."

"I need to be there, Jim. Can I talk to her? Maybe I can get something out of her." Grissom begged.

"I'm so sorry Gil, but you know you can't. " Brass knew this wouldn't go over well.

"What do you mean I can't? This is my daughter. This is Samantha, Jim. What if it were Ellie? What if all you could do was sit back and wait for someone else to find her?" His legs almost gave out on him then, but he made himself stand. He couldn't lose it now. Not now when Samantha needed him most. He'd find her. He had too.

"You know you can't go in there. You have a personal relationship with the victim." Brass hated putting it like that.

"She's not a victim. She IS MY DAUGHTER." Grissom punched the wall beside Jim's head.

Jim back up a bit.

" I know she is Gil, and I'm going to do my damnedest to get her back."

Grissom just glared at him. "You'd better find her, Jim. I'll take Las Vegas apart if you don't. Who could have done this to my daughter? She's never bothered anyone." He glanced at Sara. "I have to find her. Sara is going to lose it."

"We're going to find her Gil. "

The phone rang then. The trace team was already in place. They made Grissom wait for three rings before picking up.

"Hello." His voice was shaky.

" Hello Dr. Grissom, how are things going for you... are you missing anything? " The man smirked.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"You bastard! Where is my daughter?" Grissom knew he had to keep his head. He'd risk her life if he didn't.

He just laughed. "She's right behind me, shaking like a little frightened puppy, but you know what bothers me the most, something I have to change...She won't cry, and I don't like that. " You could hear the slap on the phone. " And yet she still doesn't cry."

Grissom just cringed. "Don't touch her! Please don't touch her! What do you want? I'll give you anything you want. Just bring her back to me."

The man just laughed again. " You don't remember me do you Dr. Grissom... think back about twenty years ago Gil." The man laughed, then yelled at one of the guys in the back for something.

"What do you want?" Grissom repeated.

"You'll figure that out soon enough, or I'll kill your daughter," and with that he hung up.

Grissom slammed the phone down. He looked at Hampton, who was running trace.

"Did you get him?"

"Sorry sir, we were under by just a couple of seconds."

"Damn it." He threw the little angel statue that Sara had sitting on the table by the phone against the wall. Shattering it to millions of pieces. Sara just flinched a bit, but never made a sound.

"Jim, you can't be finding her sitting her baby sitting us." Grissom said angrily getting in his friend's face.

"Gil, I've got uniforms everywhere looking for the van that they took her in.. " He would have continued, but Sara's cell phone rang. She looked at it then answered it. "Hello?"

"Mom? " Came the quite whisper of a shaky voice.

"Oh My God, Sammie, honey, where are you, are you ok? " Sara cried softly.

"They don't know I'm on the phone. I have to hurry. I just wanted to say I love you, and I'm ok. Can I talk to Daddy?"

"Yes." She handed the phone to Grissom

"Sammie, are you okay?" Grissom said into the phone. He wanted to hear her voice. Please be okay, he prayed.

"Daddy? Please find me, please find me Daddy." Her voice was shaky, but she refused to cry.

"I'll find you baby. I'll find you. Keep strong for me. And mom. Keep strong. Do you recognize this man?" Grissom asked scared of the answer.

"Oh God, Daddy, I'm sorry, I should have told you, it's all my fault. " She said. " No, I don't recognize him, but we are in a van. The windows are dark, but there is a small crack, and we just passed the Welcome to Vegas sign. Daddy, I'm so sorry, I should have told you."

"Should have told me what, Sam?" Grissom was confused. Totally confused.

"Daddy, there has been this guy following Annie, stalking her, harassing her, I told her I'd help her, but I didn't tell you I'm... " Sam stopped, and turned slowly, she looked and heard one of the guys yelling where's my cell phone. "Oh No..." She whispered.

The phone clicked off in Grissom's ear. "He has Annie too."

"Oh God, not her too. " Sara couldn't believe this was happening. She ran upstairs to Sam's room, and slammed the door.

Grissom just stood there stone faced. He couldn't move. "Someone has to tell her parents."

"I'm on it. " Brass whipped out his cell phone.

Grissom began pacing the floor. He needed to be doing something. "I need to go to the lab. I need to know what is being done."

"Gil, we... " He felt as if he had said this a hundred times " You know the rules, we will tell you. "

"Screw the rules, Jim! This is my daughter. The only one I have left." Grissom said as his hands clenched and unclenched at his side.

"Gil, you have... every right to be upset, but... screw the rules, go. " Brass smiled sadly.

"I'm sending Nick to stay with Sara." And in a flash he was gone.

Sara was sitting on Sam's bed, holding her pillow, and rocking it back and forth, as if it was Sam herself.

Brass knocked softly. "Sara, may I come in?"

"Yes." Was all she said.

"Grissom went to the lab." Brass stated simply. He wanted to keep her informed on everything.

"Ok, you can go to if you want. " Sara still hadn't looked at him.

"I'm not going anywhere, Sweetheart. I'm worried about you." His fatherly instinct kicking in. She'd always felt like his own daughter. He sat down beside her. He reached for her hand and held it tightly. "I'm here."

She just fell into him, and sobbed. " I want my baby back. "

"We are going to find her." He didn't want to think what would happen to her if they didn't. Or to Grissom. It would kill them. The only reason they were carrying on after Kimmy was because of Sam. "I promise."

"I know you will, I trust you. " Sara kept sobbing. Soon her sobs went down to sniffles, and she got up. " I have to try and be strong for Sam... do you want some coffee?"

"I'm good, Sara. Do you need anything? I can get Doc Robbins here and he can give you something to calm you down." Brass said as he stood.

"No, I'm fine." Sara's face was still pale, and tired, but she refused to take anything, afraid of falling asleep.

The phone began ringing downstairs.

Sara bolted for it. " Hello? Sammie?"


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"I've got your daughter here, Mrs. Grissom. If you want to see her again, get your husband back home." And the caller hung up.

Sara picked up the phone and dialed Grissom's number.

"Sammie?" Grissom said after the first ring.

" Gil Grissom, you get home right now, or they'll kill her! " Sara started to cry. " They just called, if we ever want to see her again, you have to come home NOW! "

"I never left the driveway, Sara. I couldn't bear to leave you alone." He was there then. His arms around her.

Sara wrapped her arms around his waist, " I want her back Gil, we have to get her back. " She buried her face in his neck.

"We will. We will. We have too." He nearly whispered.

" We can't lose another baby. " She said, still in his neck.

"We won't." He said as he pulled her face up to his. "I promise you, Sara. We won't. I'll find her. I'll bring her home."

She just nodded and hugged him close to her, as if he would disappear too.

"I'm here, Baby. I'm here." He held her. "What do we need to do Brass?"

" God Gil, I don't know. " Brass sat down on the chair, and put his head in his hands.

The room was dark. They'd been carried inside and left alone. Annie was afraid to move. Breathe even. She decided to chance it. "Sam?" She whispered.

Sam woke to a ringing in her head, a little blood on her lips, and she was face down on the floor, she coughed a bit. " Annie, where are you? "

"Sammie? Where are you?" Annie tried to move but her arm felt funny.

" Annie, I'm here. " Sam gets up, and walks around, trying to find her. " Annie keep talking to me. "

"I'm here, Sammie. I think my arm is broke." Annie fought back tears.

Sam finally found her, and bent down to her. " It's ok, I'm here, let me see your arm, can you move it? " Sam wanted to cry, but had to stay strong for Annie.

"No. It hurts." She stifled a sob. "How are you we going to get out of here?"

" I don't know, let me try the door. " She got up, but the door was locked.

Sam looked around the room, trying to be quiet, freezing every time she stepped on a loose floor board. She was looking for a window, an old phone she could work with, anything.

"Sam, we're not going to get out of here. Are we?" Annie whimpered.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Sam turned to her. " Yes we will Annie, I won't let you down, I'll get us out of here. " Sam thought she heard foot steps. She ran and got in front of Annie, just incase someone was coming, she had to protect her best friend. The door opened.

Grissom was pacing the floor again. It had been twelve hours since they'd heard anything. He was starting to lose hope. The first few hours were most critical.

Sara just sat there at the table. Her eyes were glazed over with tears, but none of them fell. She would watch her husband, then watch the phone.

A knock at the door brought them both the feeling of hope and dread. Hope that it was someone telling them they'd found Samantha. Dread that she wasn't alive. "I'll get it." Grissom said as he made s way to the door.

He pulled the door open slowly. Catherine stood there looking afraid. "Catherine, come in."

Catherine stepped in the house. She'd been a regular here, but this time she felt unwelcome. "Is there anything I can do for you two?"

Sara just starred into space. " Hun, why don't you offer Catherine somthing to drink. "

"No thank you, Sara. I just stopped to see if I could help with anything here. I'm going back to work now." Catherine reached out to just squeeze Grissom's arm but pulled him in for a hug instead. He held on to her tight. Besides Sara, Catherine was his best friend. "Thank you, Catherine."

"I'm here for both of you. Don't be afraid to call." Catherine was gone.

"Sara, baby, do you need anything? Drink? Food?" Grissom asked as he walked to the couch were she sat and put his arm around her.

" No. " Was all she replied. She never once made eye contact. She knew if she did, she would cry again, and she wanted but had to be strong for her baby.

He pulled her on to his lap and rocked her. "Sara, baby, it is going to be okay. I promise." Tears began to roll down his cheeks, only this time he let them flow.

Sara shook her head. " No it's not... " She stifled a sob. " This is all my fault. " She got off his lap, and ran out the back door. Many times she had seen Sammie come out, and hit the ground forcefully with a big stick, when she was mad. Sara looked for the stick her daughter used and repeatedly hit the ground and tree.

Grissom was out the door in seconds. He had his arms around her holding her tight. He pried the stick from her hands. He turned her around forcefully and shook her to get her attention. "Sara, THIS is not your fault! It's no one's fault but the scum that took her! Do you understand me? How could you think this was your fault?"


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

" Because I was late! " Sara yelled. " As a mother, it's my job to protect her, and if I would've been there, she would be here right now. "

Grissom just held her tight. "Sara, if you start blaming yourself then I have to blame myself as well. AND I DO. I should've let her come home."

" It was not your fault, I"m the one who should've have been there, I wouldn't have let them touch her, and now THEY have her, and only God knows what they're going to do to her. " Sara sobbed into his shoulder.

The phone rang inside.

Sara bolted for the phone, almost tripping up the step. She quickly answered it. " Hello? " Her breathing was fast.

"I've got someone that wants to say hello." His voice was a sneer.

" Let me talk to her! " Sara hated this man, she would kill him if she ever got the chance.

"Mrs. Grissom?" Came Annie's shaky voice.

"Oh thank God... Annie, how are you, are you ok? " Sara asked.

"I want to go home." Annie sobbed. The phone was jerked from her ear.

"I have no use for her. I think I'm going to kill her." The man said with an almost joyous laugh.

" Oh My God, No please don't. " Sara started crying on the phone.

"I will. I can. If you give me what I want, I might change my mind."

" What do you want? " Sara said almost hopeful into the phone.

"I want you to go back and check your evidence from 20 years ago. I was an innocent man. Go and check it." He hung up.

Sara hung up the phone, ran and grabbed her jacket, and slipped on her sandals.

"Where are you going, Sara?" Grissom asked as he grabbed her arm.

" I have to check evidence from 20 years ago, he says he was an innocent man...if I don't..." Sara couldn't bring herself to say it.

"Sara, there are plenty of cases from years ago. How do we know which one?" He then remembered his earlier threat. "We can't leave."

"Gil, if I don't, they'll kill Annie. " She stated sadly.

"Baby, we can't leave or they kill Sam." Grissom said. He knew he wouldn't be able to live with himself if Annie died but Samantha was his priority.

Sara looked at him. "That bastard set me up... he's playing me against my child." Sara's face went from fear, to pure anger.

"Sara, did he say you had to look or just to look? It's important, Baby. What did he say exactly?" Grissom had her and made her look him dead in the eyes.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

" He said, exactly, ' I want you to go back and check your evidence from 20 years ago, I was an innocent man. ' and that's all he said to me. "

"Okay. We can have Cath and the boys run it, Sara. It will be okay." Grissom reassured her hoping he was right.

Sara starred at him. " It will be ok? I don't think so, what if they do something wrong, what are we supposed to do? "

"Trust them. They will not let us down. Our family will not let us down." Grissom said as he silently prayed for the first time in years.

Sara was mad, but knew he was right. She took off her jacket, and hung it back up. She walked into the kitchen and pulled a bottle of wine out. " You want something to drink, honey? "

"Sara, that won't help. You have to stay level headed for me, Baby. What if they need something?" Grissom almost begged.

" Like what for instance, we can't leave the house, we can't even bring ourselves to leave the damn phone, what are they going to need? "

"Go ahead and drink, Sara. But if something happens and you were drunk, I'll blame you. I'll hate you." Grissom said as he walked from the room.

Sara just watched him leave. She then picked up the bottle, and threw it at the wall, shattering glass everywhere, and spilling wine.

He was in her room. Looking at her things. This was the second time he'd felt this empty. The first being with Kimberly. "Why us?" He said as he sank to his knees in the middle of her room and began to cry.

Einstein jumped off her bed, and started licking Grissom's face. His arms went around the dog. He sobbed into his fur.

Sara heard, what she thought, was crying, and went upstairs, and listened into Sammie's room. She then walked in, and placed a hand on Grissom's shoulder, as if to comfort him.

He released the dog and reached for her. He whispered, "I'm sorry."

" No, sweetie, I'm sorry. " She held him tight to her.

"We have to find her, Sara. We have to." He'd die without her.

" I know we do, sweetie, I know we do. " Sara tried as hard as she possibly could not to cry.

His sobs were wracking his body. He knew that he shouldn't be doing this. He couldn't stop them. He had lost his will to fight.

She rubbed his back, and his head. " We'll find her... " She then added the part she prayed for most " alive. "

He picked himself up off the floor and made the tears stop. He had to be strong. He couldn't lose it. Not this time. Not when this was his world he was fighting for. "Sara, we have to call Catherine. We have to figure out who this is."

She got up. " I agree, let's do it, right now, the sooner we do this, the sooner we have our baby home. "

He called Catherine and told her what needed to be done. He then went to his office and searched back in his files twenty years. He'd been in Vegas a while then. He found three possibilities. "I've got three possibilities, Sara."

Sara came in. " Who? "

"Bruce Irvington, Michael Layton, and Emilio Sanchez." He wished that he could feel better with narrowing it down. "Now we just need to see which ones are still serving time."

" I'll get on the computer, see if there is anything there, maybe a newspaper clipping saying something, what do you think? " Sara had to do something.

"I think we should just let Brass run it. He'd get farther through the channels than we could." Grissom stated as he picked up the three files and headed to the kitchen to speak to Brass.

Sara watched him leave. She then just kind of wandered around the house. She listened to them, and then quietly slipped out the front door. She just stood there, in the night air, looking at the stars.

Brass ran the information and came back with Michael Layton as the only one out of the three that could possibly be behind this. Grissom remembered this case all to well. The girl had been bound and strangled. He hadn't raped her. Bits of skin were under her nails. Back then DNA wasn't possible, but now it was. He had been tried and convicted because of the she'd been clutching a photo of him. He had been her boyfriend. He was the usual suspect. Him being innocent wasn't even a thought in their heads back then. He'd called Catherine and she agreed to have to skin samples run through DNA and would get back to him as soon as she got the results.

He went to find Sara. Found her sitting outside on the steps. "You okay, Baby." He touched her arm. She was freezing. Her removed his jacket and placed it around her. Adding his arm to keep her warm.

She just smiled sadly. " Thanks. " She then looked back at the stars. " You think Sam can see the stars from where she's at? She loves the stars. I remember once when she was about... three I think, she and I were driving out to get some ice cream with Kimmy, and Sam saw a very bright star, and she squealed, she kept saying look Mommy, it's a star, it's a star Mommy, she then told me that she wanted a star, all to herself. " Sara smiled at the memory.

"We'll get her one." Grissom said as he gazed up at them. "Catherine is running some skin samples. Should have the results back soon."

"That's good. " Sara tried to be happy that they had a lead, but it only frightened her more.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"Sara, what if I put that man away and he was innocent? and I caused him to hurt our daughter?" Grissom said speaking a loud his fears.

Sara turned to look at him. " This isn't your fault, you followed the evidence Hun, and if he hurts her, it's because he's sick, not because of anything you did, no matter how much he wants you to believe it's your fault, it isn't. "

LAYTON'S PROPERTY

Sam walked around the small room. She wanted out, she wanted her Daddy, she wanted to go home.

Annie rolled over and winced in pain. Her arm was swelled. She watched Samantha pace the room. "Sammie, you'll wear yourself out."

" I've got to think of how to get us out of here. " She kept walking, but then stopped, and turned to Annie, she walked over. " How's your arm? "

"Numb and swelled." Annie stood slowly. "Sam, you have to be careful. Don't want them hurting you anymore." Sam's face had a bruise across one cheek.

" I don't care about me, you're my friend, and the one I'm worried about. " She ripped the bottom of her Halter top, and gave the cloth to Annie. " I don't know if you can use this for you arm or not, but that's what they do in the movies. " She tried to smile.

They tied the make shift sling around Annie's arm carefully. It helped ease some of the discomfort. "Thanks." Annie whispered. The door opened and in walked Michael Layton.

Sam immediately stepped in front of Annie.

"You can not protect her, little girl. Don't even try." He grabbed Annie and yanked her out the door with him. Slapping Sam backwards as she tried to stop them.

" NO! " She got up, yet again, and ran for the door, which was slammed in her face. " ANNIE! " She yelled. Sam slid down to the floor, for the first time here, allowing herself to cry for her best friend, being taken away from her.

GRISSOM RESIDENCE

Grissom paced the floor. He had been expecting Catherine to call already. He spotted Sara across the room rocking herself on the couch edge. He sighed as he knew nothing he said could help her.

She just sat there, staring into space, thinking about her baby.

The cell phone in his pocket rang. It caused him to jump. "Hello?"

"Hey, Gil, It's me, Catherine. I wanted to let you know that you weren't wrong. He was guilty."

Grissom let out a breath. "Thank you." He hung up the phone and knelt in front of Sara.

"He was guilty. Now we just have to bring our little girl home. We have to find her."

Sara looked at him, her eyes filled with tears, " But where do we start? We have no evidence of where she is, or how far she is away. "

He looked at her and shrugged. "I don't know. I just don't know." He hated feeling this helpless.

She looked at him, her eyes threatening to spill, " Gil? You think she's okay? She's always been so very strong, and daring, you think she's okay? "

"She came from you." Was his only reply as he stood and picked touched the glassed in bug collection that Sam had done for sixth grade science class. "She has to be." He whispered.

She looked at him, feeling so sad. Sammie loved her, always had, but was a true daddy's girl at heart, and Sara loved that. She knew how hard it was on him. It was her too, but nothing like what he must be feeling. She got up, and decided to go and get the mail. She walked outside, grabbed it, and was looking at it on her way in, when a sad smile appeared on her face. She walked in. " Gil? Sammie's new school pictures came today. "

He looked up at her. "I don't want a damn picture, Sara. I want my daughter." He said and slammed his fist into the wall.

She flinched a bit, closing her eyes. " I do too baby. " she whispered, sitting down, and taking the pictures out.

He'd comforted Sara when she cried, but he didn't understand why she couldn't do the same for him. "Does it ever occur to you that I need you?" He spat angrily as he stormed from the room.

Sara sat up, following him, " Gil, I don't know what to do. " She said calmly to him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

He shrugged her off. "Just leave me alone."

" No, I won't leave you alone Gil... I'm sorry I haven't been here for you, I hope, I hope you can forgive me? " She asked, taking another step closer to him.

"I keep thinking about Kimmy and I won't let myself believe that we will have another daughter ripped from our arms. God couldn't be that cruel, could he, Sara? Could he take her too?" He nearly collapsed from not having eaten. He caught himself by bracing his arms on the table.

Sara wrapped her arms around him, holding him close to her, " I don't know baby, but we'll find her, she is a strong willed girl, she'll be fine... she has to be. " Sara sighed, petting his head, trying her best to comfort him.

The phone rang and he raced for it. "Hello?"

" Hello again Dr. Grissom, and how are you today? " He asked smugly.

"Where is my daughter?" Sara squeezed his hand. He tried to keep his voice steady.

"Well, have no fear, she's doing so much better then her dead friend... what's her name. Annie is it? " he chuckled evilly.

"What did you do to Annie?" He asked calmly.

" Oh, she's dead, we strangled her, and, ah, the look on her face, so very sad, full of fear... but what made me mad, was that YOUR little girl wouldn't move out of the way. She kept yelling afterwards take me leave her, but, she won't be able to see her anymore."


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Grissom's face turned white. He didn't want to tell Sara about Annie. "What have you done with her? Where did you put her?"

"Well, we dumped her along the road, close to I 15, but, a little farther then it, about a couple miles past it." he smiled smugly

"Let me talk to Sam." He didn't beg. He knew that would only thrill the man more.

" Well, I suppose I can let you talk to her, lets just hope she'll speak " He walked up the steps, and slammed the door open " Time to get up little girl, your daddy wants to talk to you. "

Sam sat in the corner, not responding, just shaking, as he handed her the phone.

"Sammie?" He asked letting the fear creep into his voice.

"Annie's dead. " she said, her voice shaky, and high.

"No she isn't." He knew lying to her was wrong, but he had to keep her strong. "We are going to find you, baby girl."

"I could hear her, " She swallowed back the tears, " I could hear her scream. Daddy, please don't find me, I... I don't want you or mommy getting hurt. "

The phone was ripped from her then and disconnected.

Grissom looked at Sara. "I need Brass."

"What happened baby? What did she say?" Sara asked concerned.

Brass walked in then. "I have a location for you to check." He gave him the location and mouthed Annie when Sara wasn't looking. Brass nodded and was gone.

She looked back at Grissom, " Gil, what did she say? "

"She's okay. She's scared." He hugged her tight.

She hugged him tightly back, " We have to find her baby, we just have to. "

"We will have her home by nightfall, Sara...Midnight the latest. I promise." I'll kill him when I get my hands on him. I'll kill him...

"But we don't know where she is.. right? " she snapped back, looking into his eyes.

"Not yet, but we'll find her." He had to believe what he was telling her. He had to.

Sara nodded, then took a good look at him, " Gil, you need to eat something... please? "

"I'll eat when my daughter is home and safe." He said as he began pacing again,

" Gil, she would want you to eat babe, she wouldn't want you to torture yourself like this."

"I can't help it, Sara."

Time passed slowly as he tried to keep Sara calm while he waited for Brass to call.

She fixed him some toast, putting it on the table, " Baby just try to eat a little something. For Sammie, she'd want you to eat. " she hadn't stopped trying, she had to get him to eat.

"Just hold me, Sara." He knew that he couldn't last much longer. He couldn't be brave anymore with his little girl so close yet so far from him.

She did, she held him tightly to her, waiting with him by the phone, hoping for some kind of call, hoping that Brass would say they found her, alive and well, but her hope was quickly fading.

His cell phone rang again. "Brass?"

"It's me, Gil." He said with a little excitement in his voice. "We found Annie. She is barely alive. She's on her way to Dessert Palm."

He hugged Sara tighter. "They have Annie. She's on her way to the hospital. Thank you, Brass." He hung up and squeezed Sara. "That's how we are going to find Sam."

She smiled for the first time, hugging him tightly, " Lets just pray she's alright. "

Brass returned to the Grissom house after about an hour after he called to tell them about Annie. "Gil, Sara, we have a general idea of where Sam is." Just as he was about to fill them in the phone rang again.

Sara picked it up, " Sammie? "

"Wrong, Mrs. Grissom. I have your daughter. If you want her back, I want your husband to meet me alone at 321 Larksburl Road in one hour. No later. We are going to make a little exchange. Him for your daughter." He said with a snarl in his voice. The phone went dead in her ear then.

"What did he say, Sara?" Grissom asked as he steadied her on her feet.

She looked at him, fear written all over her face, " He, uh, he said, for you to meet him, alone, at 321 Larksburl Road in one hour. No later, he said... he said you'd make an exchange, you for Sammie. " Sara said, her eyes filling.

He grabbed his keys. "Sammie will be home soon, Sara. I love you." He kissed her mouth quickly.

" Gil, don't, you have to get her and both of you need to come back. "

"I'll do what I have to get her back. Even if it means, I trade my life for hers." He was out the door.

Sara fell to her knees sobbing, she couldn't take this much longer.

Grissom drove out to the address Sara had given him. It was a dark run down house. He couldn't see any lights.

Michael Layton looked out the window, and opened the door as he saw Grissom walking up, " Well, good you could make it. "

"I want to see Samantha."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

" Please, do come in. " He smiled smugly, "You'll see her soon enough. "

"I want her out here. As soon as I give her these keys, you let her go. I'll come willingly." He stood his ground.

" We'll see. " Michael smiled evilly.

"That is the way it goes." He said firmly. "If you want me, you have me, but you have to let her go."

"Dr. Grissom, we will let her go... eventually, " He looked over at the man standing next to the steps, " Bring down the little bitch, just don't get kicked this time. " He turned back to Grissom, " She has quite the temper. "

"Gets that from her mother." He said as he thought of Sara at home waiting on Samantha.

" Mmm, maybe I'll meet her sometime. " He said as the door up stairs open.

The man held her firmly by her arm, as he lead her down the steps, her face was pale and bruised, and she was shaking quite badly. Her eyes were empty and emotionless.

"Sammie?" He called and couldn't keep the tears from his eyes. "Daddy's here."

She looked at him slowly, her eyes teary, she tried to get to him, but the other man wouldn't let her go. She tried kicking him, but he just smiled and held her tight, " Let me go. " She sobbed, her knees going out under her, the only thing keeping her up was the man who just gave her to Michael.

Grissom started to walk toward her. His need to hold her to touch her taking over his senses. "Please just let my baby go."

The man stepped back a bit, " I told you I would, just... not yet, I think we should maybe talk first, or, maybe see what happens when father and daughter are locked up for awhile." He laughed evilly.

"That wasn't the deal." He repeated.

"Please, leave my daddy alone. " Sam looked at the man pleadingly

"I know it wasn't, but look at her face, " He gently caressed her check, " Isn't just wonderful how scared she is? And for you, not her, that's the only part that puzzles me. "

He just stared at the man. It was killing him that she was that close and he couldn't get to her.

Michael starred back at him, smiling smugly, " Do you want to hug her? " He asked in a baby voice, as he smiled evilly.

"Just let her go...Let her go home." He said trying to smile at Sam...trying to reassure her that everything would be okay.

Before Michael had a chance to answer, Sam regained balance, catching him off guard as she elbowed him.

She reached Grissom just as a gun shot rang out. They both froze not knowing who'd been hit.

He dropped to his knees, and fell back to the floor, behind him stood Sara.

Grissom took Sam into his arms as Sara ran to hug them both. Sam sobbed as they held her, burying her face in her daddy's chest, and held on tightly to her mother's hand.

---------------------------------At home a few weeks later-----------------------

Grissom and Sara were sitting in the living room when they heard voices at the top of the stairs.

"Hey Annie, bet you fives bucks I can make the jump? " Sam giggled a bit.

"I'm broke already...how about a nickel?" She teased.

"You're broke, you have all my money from me falling. " She laughed.

"Samantha Jane, you had better not be jumping down those steps again." Grissom called from the living room.

She looked at Annie, smiling, arching an eyebrow. "Okay, five bucks." Annie challenged.

Sam smiled, and took her usual leap of faith, landing, but for once in her life, she didn't fall on her bum. She turned to look at Annie, her eyes wide, as she whispered. "I did it. " She smiled brightly, her blue eyes holding excitement.

"I'm out five bucks." Annie said in exasperation. "I can't believe you made it."

Grissom and Sara came running. "I thought I told you...Hey, did you make it?"

She squealed and danced around, " Yes, Sammie Jane Grissom finally makes it! " she smiled brightly, as Einstein kept barking at her.

Grissom turned to Sara then. "Okay, this gives me the courage to ask you something. I found a pregnancy test in the wastebasket in the bathroom...are you pregnant?"

Sam turned and looked at her slowly, as if waiting for her mom to answer, all Sara did was smile brightly.

Grissom picked her up and spun her around the floor. "I guess the celebrating that we did when Sam got home, paid off huh?" He winked at her.

"Ew! " she quickly ran up the steps, laughing, and covering her ears.

"I guess so. " She smiled brightly, tears in her eyes.

Annie was close on her heels.

He scooped her up into his arms and carried her up the stairs. She smiled, " Gil, dare I ask what we're doing?" She smiled smiling

"Celebrating." He said as he kissed her mouth.

"We can still hear you." Both girls said in unison.

Grissom laughed.

Sara laughed, "Then plug your ears."

THE END


End file.
